Stardock will sell you a Windows 8 Start Menu for $5

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The launch of Windows 8 is fast approaching, and some high profile people in the tech industry don’t think it’s ready for launch. One of those people is Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini. But regardless of how ready or not Microsoft’s new operating system is, one thing it definitely won’t have is the well-known Start Menu.

This has upset many Windows users. Why remove something that is so engrained in the way we are all used to using the Windows interface? Yes, Microsoft is trying to move with the times and change the interface to work with more devices and be touch friendly, but all that still works with a Start Menu in the bottom-left corner of the screen, right?

PC software company Stardock, well-known for specializing in Windows apps and games such as WindowBlinds, WindowFX, and Sins of the Solar Empire, has decided enough people will want a Start Menu for Windows 8 that it was worth creating one. The result of that is a Windows 8 utility called Start8.

As you can see from watching the video above, Start8 effectively re-enables the Start Menu and allows you to customize it to your tastes. It can look like the Windows 7 Start Menu, take on a Windows 8-style modern sliding form, launches Metro apps, and even allows you to boot directly into the Windows 8 desktop by default.

If you want the classic Windows experience on Windows 8 then it looks as though Start8 might be the best attempt yet to offer it. And the cost of using it? $4.99. I suspect more than a few people will be willing to pay that as frustration grows with the lack of a Start Menu come October 26.

You can try Start8 right now on a 30-day free trial and then get the final version once Windows 8 is released next month. Let us know how well you think it works.

The start menu is still in Windows 8, it just looks different and has a new name, “start screen”. Also the start button is also still in Windows 8, usually between your left Ctrl and Alt buttons, or under the screen on tablets.

Let’s hope StarDork have an efficient refund process when Microsoft disables whatever method they are exploiting.

SouthsideDave

The original Stardock Start 8 was manageable, then they upgraded and broke it.

OrdinarySoft Start Menu 7 works best for me, better than Classic Shell – IMO.
The free version works fine.

slim

By screwing their customers?

john smith

I have heard this before on other sites….I think I will use something else.

john smith

no spyware/adware for me please

DillyYo

Just tried the demo and it installed some kind of antivirus software and it looks like there’s no way to get rid of it. I’ve never heard of the software before and you can’t install it. There’s no way I’m playing 5 bucks to get spyware or somethings

What are they doing that is so terrible the customers are getting screwed over by, this product, not any of their others?

FourEyedGeek

What kind of Spyware or Adware does it contain?

mrrt

Come on man if you look better and read whats on your screen you can choose not to install this shit… i have been using start8 for 2 days now and it works PERFECT! no spyware for me just read the shit your installing.